The New Testament, Its Background, Growth and Content: Its Background Growth and Content

Description

In this clear and accessible introductory text, the author supplies the reader with basic information about both the content and the historical background of the New Testament and shows the processes by which scholars seek to solve some of the chief literary problems of the Gospels. He offers a straightforward path through the unwieldy abundance of complex material, without distortion or over-simplification. He avoids technical discussions and critical debates, but shows the main problems to be considered in this type of study. The author does not emphasise novel theories, but presents a balanced account that represents the consensus of current New Testament scholarship. Long seen as one of the leading volumes of its kind, this enlarged and revised edition will provide lasting knowledge to all who seek a deepened understanding of the forces that forged the New Testament.

About Author

Reverend Professor Bruce Manning Metzger was educated at Lebanon Valley College, Princeton Theological Seminary and Princeton University (USA). He worked as Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Princeton Theological Seminary. He has given many lectures to academic institutions in several countries such as England, South America, Germany, Greece.

Contents

PART ONE: The Background of the New Testament Period 1. THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND OF PALESTINIAN JUDAISM I. SURVEY OF THE POLITICAL HISTORY OP PALESTINE PROM ALEXANDER THE GREAT TO THE FALL OF JERUSALEM (A.D. 70) II. THE ROMAN PROVINCIAL SYSTEM III. THE LANGUAGES CURRENT IN PALESTINE 2. THE CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND OF PALESTINIAN JUDAISM I. SURVEY OF INTERTESTAMENTAL JEWISH LITERATURE II. SECTS, PARTIES, AND CLASSES WITHIN PALESTINIAN JUDAISM III. SCRIBES AND RABBIS: THEIR DUTIES AND METHODS OF TEACHING IV. THE TEMPLE AND ITS RITUAL V. THE SYNAGOGUE AND ITS WORSHIP 3. THE PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND OF GRECO-ROMAN PAGANISM I. SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD II. MYSTERY RELIGIONS IN THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD PART TWO: Aspects of the Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ 4. THE SOURCES FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE LIFE AND TEACHING OF JESUS CHRIST I. NON-CHRISTIAN SOURCES - JEWISH AND PAGAN II. CHRISTIAN SOURCES-CANONICAL AND APOCRYPHAL 5. A SUMMARY OF THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST I. THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST II. THE EARLY YEARS OF JESUS' LIFE III. THE BAPTISM AND TEMPTATION OF JESUS CHRIST IV. THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST APPENDIX: MIRACLES IN THE GOSPELS 6. ASPECTS OF THE TEACHING OF JESUS CHRIST I. THE FORM OF JESUS' TEACHING II. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE TEACHDNG OF JESUS CHRIST APPENDIX: THE ORIGINALITY OF JESUS' ETHICAL TEACHING PART THREE: The Apostolic Age 7. THE SOURCES AND THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE APOSTOLIC AGE I. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES II. THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE APOSTOLIC AGE 8. PRIMITIVE JEWISH CHRISTIANITY I. PENTECOST AND THE EARLIEST EVANGELISM II. THE CHURCH'S CONFLICT WITH JUDAISM AND THE MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN 9. THE EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY THROUGH THE WORK OF THE APOSTLE PAUL I. PAUL'S EARLY TRAINING AND CONVERSION II. PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY III. THE APOSTOLIC COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM IV. PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY V. PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY VI. PAUL'S ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT 10. PAUL'S LETTERS TO CHURCHES AND INDIVIDUALS I. PAUL'S LETTERS IN GENERAL II. SUMMARIES OF PAUL'S LETTERS APPENDIX: LEADING IDEAS IN PAUL'S THEOLOGY 11. THE GENERAL LETTERS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION I. THE GENERAL LETTERS II. THE BOOK OF REVELATION APPENDIX I: THE FORMATION OF THE CANON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT APPENDIX II: THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX OF PRINCIPAL NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES GENERAL INDEX MAPS PALESTINE - A. D. THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD AT THE TIME OF PAUL